Saturday, May 25, 2019

"The
Last Van Gogh" received the 2019 Maxy Award for Best Mystery-Detective
Novel

A
brilliant and troubled artist. A lost masterpiece. The desperate search for the
truth.

An
unknown Van Gogh painting disappears from France at the outbreak of World War
Two. A notorious con man later claims he smuggled the immense painting to the
U.S. where it is never seen again. Ninety years later, his two sons, Adam and
Wesley Barrow, discover letters that supposedly confirm the painting's
existence, now valued at $250 million if it exists.

Dogged
by a dysfunctional childhood and skeptical of his father's tale, Adam at first
dismisses the old letters.

The
painting's possible existence also attracts the attention of three unscrupulous
collectors, allformer associates of
hisfather, one of whom engages a
professional killer to find the painting.

Doubtful
of its existence, Adam teams with Katya Veranova, a beautiful KGB defector and
ex-assassin, as they travel to Holland, Paris, California, and New York on a
desperate mission, forming an intimate but tenuous bond. Tracked by the unseen
contract killer and threatened at every turn, Adam and Kat face increasing
danger in their quest to find the last Van Gogh.

Excerpt

Chapter
Four

The ambulance bearing Wes disappeared around
the corner onto Wells Street, siren moaning as traffic pulled to the curb to
let Chicago’s latest casualty pass. They’d removed Vasily’s body after a flurry
of police photographs, Chicago’s finest dispersing the gawkers. The storm
whipped gray curtains of rain off Lake Michigan, washing blood from the
sidewalk as I surveyed the damage.

Red
and blue strobes atop the remaining police cars illuminated my gallery like a
roadside strip club. Inside the shattered window, a desecrated painting hung
askew on the nearest wall, its frame splintered, the canvas holed by bullets.
Beneath the destroyed Expressionist nude, crumbled wallboard fragments littered
my proud new carpet. None of it mattered so long as Wes was alive.

I
raised my coat collar and retreated beneath the awning followed by a bored
Chicago police sergeant, glass crunching under our shoes. The cop was a street
veteran down to a scarred chin and wary expression, his belly encroaching on
his belt buckle. He removed his brimmed hat and brushed rainwater from the
clear plastic covering, wiping the checkered band with a thick thumb before he
tugged it back on with a street-weary sigh.

“Looks like you and your brother
dodged a bullet,” he said with a caustic half-smile. Discomfited by my
expression, he said, “Well, he didn’t actually dodge it. The EMT’s said the
bullet nicked the back of his calf without finding bone. Some blood loss but no
permanent damage.”

“I’ve got to call his wife,” I
said.

“Sure, in a minute. First, you
wanna tell me what happened?”

Across the rain-slicked street, the
space sat empty where the Lincoln had waited for us. “We walked out and someone
started shooting from a car parked across the street.”

The cop contemplated my shattered
window. “I don’t figure the boys from the projects, but you never know about
those crazy bastards.”

The cop took a cheap spiral
notebook from his yellow raincoat and made a note. “But it could be gang
bangers the projects. They like to cruise the streets at night,” he said. “Lot
of random shootings. The worst call themselves the Deuce’s Disciples.” He
kicked at the glass rubble around our feet. “I think tonight probably was a
screw-up. Mistaken identity or drug deal gone bad.”

I
didn’t say so but the cop’s reasoning didn’t feel right, a bunch of brainless
bangers shooting up an art gallery from a limousine. Glad to be out of the
rain, the cop made another note and took on the jaded expression of
investigating endless mayhem. Another Saturday night shooting and one more
bewildered citizen he was supposed to protect.

“The
dead guy,” he asked. “Customer?”

“One
of my artists.” I almost told him about Vasily’s uncle and decided against it.
The police would find out soon enough, and a whole new avenue of investigation
would begin, including my association with Viktor Krushenko. I didn’t want to
think about it.

The sergeant closed the notebook.
“The detectives will want to talk with you tomorrow.” He frowned at the rain
blowing through my broken window. “Lousy fucking weather. Better get something
over that hole. We’ll keep a man here until you leave,”

He ambled back to the circus parade
of flashing lights and I went inside, wondering where in hell I’d find someone
to board up a window on Saturday night. I’d lugged the exposed paintings to the
work area, too disheartened to touch the ruined painting. I thought about Viktor
and knew I should call him, but I put it off. Viktor would know about the
attack soon enough and I tried not to think about what might follow. Vasily was
dead and that would bring repercussions for someone. Possibly me.

I called Barbara and got her calmed
down after a few minutes, explaining Wes was basically okay. She kept asking me
why Wes had been shot but I had no answer. I gave her the name of the hospital
where they’d taken him and said I’d meet her there. Hanging up, I stared at the
jagged hole where my front window once existed. I waved to the cop stationed at
the door and went to my office. Thumbing my iPhone for repair companies I
located one open 24/7. The answering service claimed they’d be on their way
within the hour and I almost believed the voice. Bundled in a raincoat I walked
outside and told the patrolman to go home, that I’d wait until the hole was
boarded up.

I
pulled up a chair by the front door as the adrenaline ebbed, watching cars slow
to ogle the destruction. Gusts of rain gleefully destroyed my new carpet and I
tried not to calculate replacement cost, wondering if my insurance covered
gunfire. To my surprise a panel truck arrived half an hour later. Two workmen
hammered up plywood sheeting, the rough wooden patch blighting the front of my
beautiful gallery.

Not
owning a car in a city where parking was a mixture of fate and voodoo, I called
Uber to take me to the hospital. During the ride, it occurred to me the
gunshots had been oddly muffled. I hadn’t told the cop, but the recollection
increased my uneasiness. Why would underage gangsters or a shyster bother with
a silencer?

***

Wes had been discharged by the time
I reached the hospital. A young black intern assured me the injury wasn’t
serious enough to keep him overnight. In the midst of usual Saturday night
mayhem and need for beds, they’d bound the wound and released him with a supply
of pain killers.

It was still raining as I called
Uber again and headed for Wes’s apartment. Barbara let me in and I found Wes
with a glass in his hand, leg propped on an ottoman, his smile vacant.

“Hey, this Vicodin is great stuff,”
he said as if he’d discovered the solution to world peace.

Barbara
sat on the arm of his chair and shook her head at me with less than fawning
eyes. She inclined her head at the glass in his hand.

“Water,” she informed me.

Maybe the shooting would prove a
respite for him. Provide an enforced vacation from his favorite lounges and
liquor stores. Barbara sure as hell wasn’t going to let him mix painkillers
with booze. I pulled up a straight-backed chair from the dining room and tried
to smile.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Is Vasily dead?”

I nodded.

“Damn. He seemed like a great guy.”

“He
was.”

Wes shifted his weight and winced.
I looked around. The apartment was sparser than I remembered, and Barbara
appeared five years older. She was a lean woman who never worried about her
weight, a great wife to Wes but not my biggest fan. She believed I enabled him
with loans and bail money, short term solutions to his deeper issues. But what
was I supposed to do? Leave him to the mercy of the drunk tank? She loved him
in her own patient way that allowed me to look beyond her faults, mainly her dislike
of me.

She
hovered over Wes, curly auburn hair and blouse still damp from the rain, her
face wet with tears. “This is quite a night,” she snapped, her voice trembling
as she brushed away a limp strand of hair. “Our home gets broken into, then you
call to tell me Wes has been shot.”

“You got robbed?” was all I could
think to say.

“Never imagined the art business
was this violent,” Wes laughed, his eyes swimming with the Vicodin. “Russian
gangsters and artists murdered in the street.”

“You sure you’re alright?”

He held up the glass of water. “I’m
fine, but I never needed a drink more in my life. What the hell happened?”

“The cops aren’t sure.”

“Great location you picked, Adam”
Barbara said over her shoulder as she strode to the kitchen. “A trendy
neighborhood. You serve Sneaky Pete wine at your gala last night?”

“C’mon, Barbara,” Wes croaked.

I resented her criticism. I hadn’t
envisioned a shooting gallery when I selected the location. “You’re clear on
the other side of town and you got robbed,” I reminded her, although the sparse
apartment didn’t appear a likely target.

“We need to talk about what
happened,” Wes said.

“I’ll talk with detectives
tomorrow. The cop told me...”

“Not about the shooting,” Wes said.
“The break-in.”

“Wes,” Barbara called from the
kitchen, “don’t start again.”

“He needs to know.”

“Know what?” I asked.

Barbara sat on Wes’s chair arm
again and lightly ran her fingers through his hair. “He’s not making a lot of
sense, what with the pills and all,” she said. “Something about a Van Gogh
painting your father claimed to have owned.”

“I changed clothes before I came to
the gallery. They were in my jacket.” He looked on the verge of bursting into
tears. “Our one link to the painting.”

“You’re sure they were stolen.”

“I’m a recovering drunk, not a
moron,” Wes snapped, slumping back in the chair as the pills worked their
magic.

Barbara shot me a warning look that
hovered between ‘help me’ and ‘get the hell out of here.’ It was obvious they’d
fought a war over a fictional masterpiece that would solve their problems.

Wes bent forward and winced.
“Dammit, Barbara, it’s real.”

She searched his haggard face, her
own reflecting defeat fostered by years of disappointment. She started to reply
but looked away.

“Okay, I’ll agree our old man was
crazy,” Wes admitted, “but he had no reason to lie to us. No money in lying. If
he owned a forgery, why didn’t he pawn it off on somebody years ago? God knows
he always needed money.”

“This is crazy,” Barbara said.
“What about us? You’re putting this fantasy before everything we’re trying to
do. You’re in no shape to traipse after some painting. In case you haven’t
noticed, we’re almost broke. Where do you think we’ll find money to search for
your Eldorado? You have a portfolio or bank account I don’t know about?”

“Maybe we can find a backer.” Wes
insisted. I’d heard the same desperation when he discovered a liquor bottle was
empty. He looked up at me. “What about your gangster friend?”

“Viktor Krushenko is not my
friend.”

“He was Vasily’s uncle. He could
help us.”

“Wes, do you have any idea who
these people are? Where their money comes from? It’s possible Viktor was trying
to get rid of me after our argument. The bastard’s crazy, you saw that. You
heard how unhappy he was about the split Vasily was getting. Maybe he meant the
shooting as an object lesson to me and he screwed up. Either way, he won’t be a
happy Boy Scout when he finds out Vasily’s dead.”

“We need to find a way,” Wes said,
his optimism bolstered by the pain killers.

Barbara turned away again and I was
out of arguments. Our dead father was ripping our lives apart yet again, his
sons lost in his dysfunctional shadow.

About
the Author

Will
Ottinger spent his early life in Savannah, Georgia. A graduate of Emory
University with a BA in history, he is also a graduate of Northwestern Graduate
Trust School in Chicago.

His
first novel, A Season for Ravens, published in 2014, was named by Reader Views
as one of its top-three Historical Fiction works of 2014-2015.The second novel, The Savannah Betrayals, was
published in March, 2018.His third
novel, The Last Van Gogh, was released in March, 2019 by Black Rose Writing.
Windrow and Greene Publishers in Great Britain earlier published his
non-fiction work on the art of historical miniatures, an art form in which he
gained international recognition as a Grand Master painter.He authored a magazine column for seven
years, trained and lectured extensively in the financial field, wrote articles
for trust and investment publications, and has spoken to large and small
audiences. He served as president of Scribbler's Ink, a Houston writers’ group.

Former
founder and owner of a wealth management training/consulting firm, he and his
wife also owned an art gallery in downtown Chicago. Both are inveterate fly
fishermen and now live in Atlanta Georgia.

A story about the purpose of life, the healing power of fandom, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Tormented by the in-crowd at school on a daily basis, there were two things that gave fifteen-year-old Abigail Perkins the strength to keep going—her best friend, Danny Cobb; and her favorite television show, Supernatural. But the night Danny’s mother calls to say that his battle with cancer is nearing its end, and the doctors don’t expect him to live through the night, even Supernatural can’t dull the ache in her heart.

Devastated by her impending loss and crushed that Danny’s mother won’t allow her to visit him one last time, Abigail crawls into bed and cries herself to sleep that night; and she wakes to find Supernatural’s most endearing angel standing at the foot of her bed.

Told from Abigail’s perspective as she nears the end of her long life and revisits the moments that defined it, this story was inspired by the deep connection that Supernatural fans feel with the show’s beloved characters, and the show’s miraculous ability to help its fans through troubled times.

100% of the net proceeds from this book will go to Random Acts charitable organization.

Random Acts inspires many amazing things around the world every day — from small acts of kindness, such as inspiring someone to buy a stranger a cup of coffee, to much bigger acts of kindness like building a school in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Yes. Never give up. Remember that
you are special and that every life has a purpose (even if you haven’t found
yours yet). And live your life spreading kindness and seizing every opportunity
to help others.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Usually, finding the time to write
is the biggest challenge for me. Although, Benevolent had its own challenges.
There’s a lot more of me in this story than there is in any other book I’ve
written. So this book took more of an emotional toll. It’s told from the main
character’s perspective as she looks back on her life while on her deathbed.
The end of life scenes in the book are heavily based on my Grandpa’s final
days. I spent a lot of time in his hospital room while he was on hospice, and I
sat at his bedside holding his hand while he took his last breaths at 3am on
Christmas Eve. Those portions of the book were emotionally draining to write,
but they were also incredibly cathartic. I’ve actually heard from lots of
readers since the book was released who really connected with that aspect of
the story. Many of them said it made them think of a loved one who they’d
recently lost and gave them a lot of comfort. Others connected with Abigail’s
struggles with being bullied during her school years, which I also based in
part on experiences from my past.

How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

I’ve published four books, and am
almost finished writing my fifth (the fourth book in my Dream Waters Series. I
think each new book becomes my favorite because you have to fall in love with
your characters and connect with the story to make the book the best it can be.
But if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Benevolent because the story is so
near and dear to my heart. I feel like I’m doing a lot of good with the story’s
message, the way readers have connected with it, and the fact that 100% of my
net proceeds are going to Random Acts.

If You had the chance to cast your main character fromHollywoodtoday, who would you pick and why?

Normally that would be the easiest
question in the world to answer. I’m a very visually oriented writer and I
always imagine my books playing out like movies while I’m writing them. When I
create a new character I usually choose an actual actor to play the role in my
head. I could tell you my entire dream cast of my Dream Waters books. Rupert
Grint would play my main character, Charlie; Amanda Seyfried would play Emma;
and Jason Isaacs would play her husband, David. I actually got the opportunity
to meet Jason Isaacs at Comic con in Montreal, offer him a copy of my book
(which he accepted and got up from the table to put in his bag), and thank him
for inspiring me to create the character. I still seize every possible
opportunity to share the picture of him holding my book on social media.

For Benevolent, I would obviously
want Misha Collins to play Abigail’s guardian angel because he appears to her
in the likeness of Castiel, the television angel the actor plays on
Supernatural. But I don’t have a specific actress in mind for Abigail,
and there’s a reason for that. Although I mention Castiel’s beautiful blue eyes
and good looks plenty of times in the story, I never describe Abigail’s
physical features. I want every reader to be able to imagine themselves in her
place. If I gave her a certain weight, height, skin color, or hair color, not
everyone would be able to put themselves in her shoes as easily.

When did you begin writing?

I started writing about six years
ago, and I didn’t tell most people I was writing a book until right before I
released my debut novel.

How long did it take to complete your first book?

Dream Waters, my debut novel, took
me about three years to finish because it was all new to me. I had to do a lot
of re-writing to come up with the final story.

Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?

There were lots of writers who
inspired me to become a writer. J.K. Rowling was an inspiration because she
started out with nothing, and her accomplishments pretty much speak for
themselves. Andy Weir inspired me because he started out publishing his book a
chapter at a time for free on his blog and ended up with a movie starring Matt
Damon. But it was Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, that inspired me
to actually give writing a try. The book talks about how everyone has hidden
talents and suggests that you give new things a try to discover what yours are.
I can’t explain why exactly, but my take away from that was “I want to try
writing a book.” It turns out, I absolutely love creating stories.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I love every part of the writing
process, but my favorite part is finally getting a scene that’s been in my head
for ages down on paper. There’s nothing quite as thrilling as capturing one of
those scenes that sparked the whole idea for the book on the printed page!

Describe your latest book in 4 words.

Every life has purpose. (I’d say
“Every life has a purpose” but that’d be one too many words.)

Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the
future for your writing?

I’m currently writing the fourth
book in my Dream Waters Series. It’d be tough to share much about it without
spoilers for those who haven’t read the first three books. But I can tell you
that I like to describe Dream Waters (Book One in the series) as a cross
between One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Harry Potter. It’s set almost
entirely in a mental institution and is definitely a story for mature readers.
Charlie, the main character, constantly sees the people around him “flip” to
the forms he believes they take in an alternate world when they drift off to
sleep. The book begins when a beautiful new patient is admitted to the
facility. As they grow close, Charlie learns that there’s much more to his
fellow patients than meets the eye, that his lovely new friend is shadowed by
an enormous fiery-eyed dragon, and he might not be as crazy as most of the
waking world thinks he is.

About the Author

Erin Jensen is the Amazon International bestselling author of The Dream Waters Series. She was awarded the Bronze Medal for fantasy fiction in the 2018 Readers' Favorite international book award competition. She also received Honorable Mention for fantasy fiction in the 2018 Writer's Digest self-published e-book awards. A part-time pharmacist and a full-time daydreamer, she resides in upstate New York with her ridiculously supportive husband, two teenage sons – who are both taller than her – and a Yorkshire terrier who thinks he's the family bodyguard.

When
Shivon Roxtin tries to incite a rebellion among the human females on the
Outcast planet, she's sent to the Relentless. The ship's commander, Warlord
Torak Payne, thrives on challenge, so he's looking forward to taming the fiery
human. Still, war with the Sarronti is creeping ever closer, and the last thing
he needs is an unruly mate. Tempers flare, and sparks fly from the moment they
first meet. Their battle of wills is quickly surpassed by their consuming need
for each other, but can they channel the emotional intensity into something
constructive before they're consumed by the flames?

Other
Books in the Outcasts Series

Heretic

Outcasts,
Book 1

Publisher:
Anything-but-Ordinary Books

Published:
April 2018

Restless
and embittered by an abusive past, Arton the Heretic finds himself in a battle
of wills with Lily, a gorgeous geneticist. She holds the key to the future of
his people, but she was brought to this savage world against her will and
that’s an insult she’ll not soon forget. Their attraction is instantaneous and
intense, yet each has valid reasons for mistrusting the other. He wants her, is
consumed with the need to claim her, but he can’t focus on the future until he
deals with the past.

Rex
Dravon, a notorious smuggler, is one of the Outcasts’ most important allies.
Many of the Outcasts’ philosophies and approaches to life in general appeal to
him, but he’s hesitant to commit to any cause. Hoping to entice Rex into
committing, Arton the Heretic, tells Rex that he is genetically compatible with
one of the “captive brides”, a feisty blonde named Thea Cline.

Thea
is still enraged that she was dragged from Earth without her permission, and
she’s recovering from a horrendous tragedy. She sneaks aboard the Marauder
hoping to steal a weapon. Instead she’s confronted by the ship’s handsome
commander. She knows to be wary of Rex because of his reputation, but she’s
instantly, and powerfully, drawn to him. His offer to help her escape comes a
little too quickly and she fears he has ulterior motives. Is he simply hoping
to lure her into his bed—a fate she’s not sure she’d mind—or is his motivation
more nefarious?

Xorran,
a famed tracker, is sent to find two human females kidnapped by the Outcasts’
enemy. His search seems futile until he encounters Sara and a feisty battle cat
cub. He’s fascinated by the tiny animal, but feels an immediate and powerful
connection with the wisecracking human.

Sara
is still angry about being brought to the Outcasts’ planet without her
permission, yet her stubbornness is no match for “the pull”. As they work
together to rescue her friend, their passion flares ever hotter. Can Xorran
prove to Sara that he wants more than a torrid affair? Now that he’s found a
potential mate, he will settle for nothing less than forever.

Torrin’s
simple mission is seriously complicated when he finds Arrista, a lovely
Sarronti female, in need of rescue. The Sarronti resent the Outcasts and
continually sabotage their efforts to build a settlement on the primitive
planet. But Arrista isn’t just any Sarronti. She’s the personal servant of one
of the most powerful Sarronti. The information Arrista can provide would be
vitally important to the Outcasts, so Torrin is ordered to use their mutual
attraction to question her.

Arrista
has been taught to fear and mistrust the savage Outcasts, so why does she find
Torrin so fascinating, so desirable? It’s not just his muscular body and rugged
features. He is kinder and more protective than any male she has ever known.
She is drawn to him by a force so compelling it leaves her no choice but
surrender. She wants him, needs him, but can she trust him not to break her
heart?

Note
to Readers: This book contains detailed descriptions of sizzling passion only
suitable for mature readers. Certain plot elements carry on from book to book.
Though Assassin can be read as a standalone, it’s more fun to read the series
in order.

Passionate
Sci-Fi with a touch of danger and a whole lot of sass. Cyndi has written about
rock stars, vampires, and cat shifters, but she's currently focused on outer
space. Her stories are fun, fast-paced, and seriously hot. She has made the USA
Today Top 100, and every book in the Battle Born series landed on Amazon's Top
100. She is currently working on Outcasts, a spin-off series set in the Battle
Born universe.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Every
person has that decision to make. Choosing Jesus as your Lord and Savior is the
only way to Heaven. As believers, we have the opportunity every day to lead our
lives in a way to impact those around us. We may be the only Bible some folks
read.

Grab
your Bible and join us. We’ll focus on the Lord and growing together. Our goal
is leading a lifestyle that meets people where they are at daily. Where we can
share Jesus and His love with them. Who are you bringing with you?

About
the Author

Sheila
Srna grew up on a farm in a Christian home.Her family attended church and Bible study each Sunday.Her husband farms while she works as an
accountant.Over the years, she has
served the Lord in youth ministry, stewardship, evangelism, and Strategic Ministry
teams.Sheila loves the Lord and always
looks forward to worship services and Bible study.Her day starts and ends with prayer and
includes Bible study time in the evening.Precious moments with the Lord.

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

As
a leading expert in trial law, Sandra Spurgeon masterfully outlines the art and
science of case-winning strategies inside and outside the courtroom.Having successfully litigated thousands of
cases, with over 120 of them litigated to verdict in both state and federal
jurisdictions, she reveals the secrets of successful litigation techniques.

You
will learn her highly effective strategies for:

Case
Selection

Discovery
Process

Trial
Preparation

Execution
in the Courtroom

Spurgeon
not only clearly describes these methods, but also demonstrates how to apply
them - through real examples of courtroom “war” stories.Based on her vast experience spanning nearly
two decades, Courage to Stand – Mastering Your Trial Strategy, is designed to
not only help the beginning attorney, but to also sharpen the skills of veteran
lawyers.

This
work goes far beyond theory and reaches into the trenches to reveal how some of
the most difficult cases can be won by utilizing a proven synthesized plaintiff
and defense litigation practice which has collected millions of dollars in
settlements and verdicts for her clients.Having successfully litigated 1000s of cases with 120+ litigated to
verdict in both state and federal jurisdictions, she reveals the secrets of
successful litigation techniques.

About
the Author

Sandra
Spurgeon has been a practicing trial lawyer since 1990. In that time, she has
successfully litigated in excess of 120 cases through verdict in both state and
federal jurisdictions.

Throughout
her career, Sandra has synthesized a plaintiff and defense litigation practice
that has afforded her great insight and a unique perspective in "getting
to the heart" of the case from the beginning stages thru trial. Thru
experience, she has achieved trial excellence in the courtroom.

From
a defense perspective, Şandra's includes not only the handling of commercial
litigation but also, the defense of insurance claims, healthcare professional
liability claims, coverage and extra-contractual issues and fire & casualty
claims.

In
Kinney vs. Butcher, 131 S.W.3d 357 (Ky. App. 2004), her successful argument
presented to the Kentucky Court of Appeals resulted in the decision delineating
the standard for an award of punitive damages. In Pike vs. GEICO, 174 Fed.
Appx. 311 (6th Circ. 2006), she successfully litigated the prescribed time
period for filing an underinsured motorist claim in KY.

Sandra's
practice also includes the representation of victims and families who have
suffered catastrophic losses and has collected settlements and judgments in
excess of $50,000,000. In 2016 & 2017, she collected in excess of
$16,000,000 in settlements and/or judgments. In 2017, Sandra litigated a
Federal Tort Claim to judgment with the verdict in excess of $2,000,000.
Chrispen vs. United States of America, 7:16-132. Although she has always
allowed her verdicts and results to speak for themselves, she considers the
verdict in Dotson vs. Sony Electronics, 7:02-CV-35 among one of her biggest
accomplishments. Sandra successfully litigated this res ipsa loquitor products
liability claim to a multi-million-dollar judgment unanimous verdict in federal
court on behalf of a burn victim.

Through
experience Sandra has developed a systematic approach for handling of complex
litigation matters beginning at case selection, through the discovery process,
trial preparation and execution in the courtroom. Additionally, she serves as
an expert witness and lectures before various organizations and clients on
trial practice, evidence and Kentucky law. Sandra is adept at handling complex
legal issues and is a skilled legal writer. Sandra is active in her community
where she currently serves on the Board of Directors for Foster Council and
Women Leading Kentucky. She has also served as parent representative for the
Fayette County School Systems. She is an advocate for children and families in
her community and was instrumental in the drafting of the Michelle P. Waiver
program for children in KY. She is the proud mother of two adult daughters,
Victoria and Elizabeth.